Entertainment

NHL GameCenter App Is a Hockey Fan's Best Friend

NHL hockey finally returns on Saturday after a drawn-out lockout that had many fans hurting almost as bad as a puck to the face.

So if you're a fan who wants to make up for months of lost hockey by compensating with that much more NHL action, the digital subscription service NHL GameCenter may be for you. It's not exactly cheap at $49.99 for the shortened 48-game season, but that money does get you pretty much everything NHL-related.

You'll be able to watch live streams of not just your favorite local team, but out-of-market games as well. You can also replay games you wanted to catch but weren't able to, saving space on the DVR for other important programming like Workaholics. Both home and away audio feeds are available, so you can decide whose slant you want on the action. Personalization features, meanwhile, allow for customizable news delivery about specific teams and players. Split-screen capability lets you double-dose on the hockey, while more than 800 classic games let you relive some of the best face-offs in NHL history.

There's not shortage of ways to access all that content either. GameCenter is available as an app for both iOS and Android devices, as well as XBox 360, Apple TV, PlayStation and more. For the full list, click here.

While the NHL season was finally saved, the lockout did provide a number of social media moments that reflected fans' dissatisfaction with the ordeal. In October, a meme fail by the NHL's Instagram account drew some angry backlash. In early December, when an agreement seemed reachable, a parody lectern Twitter account reflected many fans' angst. And a viral Nike ad a few weeks later struck a defiant tone.

Would you consider buying NHL GameCenter? Let us know why or why not in the comments.

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